Marking the first major event since the organization was unified with the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI’s) accreditation services division, the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) held a highly successful Assessor Development Week 2019: Building the Future, on January 21-25 in Nashville, TN. The event brought together more than 270 contract assessors, ANSI/ANAB staff, and guests for five days of interactive training sessions, workshops, and special events designed to ensure the continued efficacy of assessors working on behalf on ANSI/ANAB. ANAB is a wholly owned subsidiary of ANSI [see related article].

Hosted this year at Nashville’s Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, the ANAB Assessor Development Week is an annual mandatory training event for all ANSI/ANAB assessors across a broad range of accreditation disciplines including management system, product, and personnel certification bodies, calibration and testing labs, forensic test and calibration service providers, inspection bodies, reference material producers, proficiency test providers, greenhouse gas validation and verification bodies, and certificate programs. The event included interactive training sessions and demos for each discipline, with daily opportunities for broader engagement, collaboration, and information sharing at on-site meals, networking breaks, and other special events. And all assessors and staff learned more about ANAB’s custom software solution/database currently under development by ANSI’s IT team that will serve as a comprehensive organizational tool for the ANAB assessment and accreditation process.

Tuesday and Wednesday’s luncheon sessions featured presentations by ANAB executive director Lane Hallenbeck and ANAB COO Keith Greenaway, respectively. Mr. Hallenbeck shared his excited optimism over the opportunities ahead for ANAB as a unified accreditation organization affiliated with ANSI, capitalizing on the best of both organizations’ human and other resources. “I’m proud of the teamwork and contagious enthusiasm of all our colleagues this past week in Nashville, which only grew stronger as the days passed,” said Mr. Hallenbeck. “Everyone is really stepping up at a formative and crucial time in our evolution, setting the stage for a momentous year as we continually improve along our quest to be America’s premier accreditation body.”

Expanding on those thoughts, Mr. Greenaway highlighted some of the organizational enhancements and strategic integration activities on the horizon and already underway. And Mr. Greenaway had the pleasure of presenting the second annual Terry Burgess Assessor of the Year Award to Deedra Hughes in recognition of outstanding service by an ANAB assessor [related article]. “Nominated by their peers and customers and with so many nominations, all of whom were worthy candidates, this year’s award winner demonstrated outstanding service on behalf of ANAB,” said Mr. Greenaway.

In celebration of the outstanding collaboration and engagement throughout the week, attendees and their guests enjoyed a social event on Wednesday night featuring classic Nashville food, drinks, music, and dancing at the Gaylord’s Water’s Edge riverside venue. Live music from country musician Adam Doleac and his band – recently selected as a rising artist for Artist Discovery program – got many attendees on their feet. And even more remarked on the terrific camaraderie that developed throughout the week, as ANSI/ANAB assessors and staff maximized the opportunities to put faces with names and build on valuable relationships – old and new – throughout the organization.

Assessor Development Week concluded on Friday with an overwhelming sense of energized optimism for ANAB’s ability to continually improve its high level of service to clients and enhance its bright future as a global leader in accreditation services.